Once you start planning a wedding, you may have been surprised at what adds up where. Depending on your budget, you might be wanting to cut costs, or you might be starting out wanting to save as much as you can! I know that everyone’s situation is different, and I wanted to educate as many couples as I can about what goes into the cost of wedding photography, especially if you’re curious about the backend of running a successful photography business. There are a few misconceptions about this, so let’s get into it!

The legal costs of running a business

Although we’re not “traditional” business owners, being a wedding photographer does mean running a business. Just like any brick and mortar business, there are legal aspects that we are responsible for, and those costs can add up quickly. First and foremost, being a wedding photographer is considered being self-employed, so we automatically save around 30% of our income to pay our taxes. So whatever the cost of your wedding package is, 30% of that goes straight to Uncle Sam!

Taxes aside, most photographers choose to outsource legal advice to a licensed professional. Believe it or not, there are a lot of things that need to be covered in a wedding photography contract, for the protection of myself and my couples. DIY’ing a legally binding contract would be a disservice to both parties involved, so I’ve always chosen the safe route and hired a professional for any legal advice that I need.

Last but not least, the cost of business insurance. Now this isn’t technically required by the law in some states, but most venues and national parks require insurance documentation for wedding photographers. So if I want to be able to shoot at any location my couples choose, I need to have some type of coverage! Paying for this is also a must because I travel often for weddings and elopements. The photography gear that I carry with me on trips is not cheap (we’ll get into that later!), so ensuring it just in case something happens is an absolute necessity.

Software & subscriptions

Basically anything that makes the booking process easier for my couples, is an expense on my end. When you have the convenience of filling out the contact form on my website instead of having to email me directly, that’s because of a CRM system that I pay for on a consistent basis. The gallery system that I use to deliver your photos in an efficient manner is, you guessed it, a recurring expense as well! I’m so fortunate to be able to afford to make the process streamlined from start to finish, all so that your experience with me can be the best one possible. Along with those systems, I also pay for my website to be hosted online, an additional monthly charge for my blog to showcase my work, and the best quality editing software.

High quality camera gear

Now listen… I don’t skimp on providing the highest quality for my couples, and camera gear is no exception. When couples are investing so much in me, I like to do the same for them. That means the highest standards for my gear so I can professionally document everything confidently. I also make sure to have adequate backup gear in the event something happens on a wedding day. Being prepared for absolutely any situation is costly, but super important! I carry multiple different camera bodies, lenses, and flash so that I can capture your day as authentically as possible. For example, the lens that I use to take your detail shots is not the same lens I use to take your first look photos. Being a good wedding photographer means having all the gear necessary to document all aspects of your day from start to finish!

Time, time, and more time!

If you’re looking for a photographer that will just show up to your wedding for 8 hours and dip, then I’m not the right photographer for you. I pour my heart and soul into the experience I provide for my couples, because I believe that’s what you deserve. From the moment you inquire, I’m already brainstorming how I can make your day as special and unique as possible. In fact, your actual wedding day is the least time consuming out of the entire process! Way before your day rolls around, I’m assisting with planning, location scouting, timeline preparation, and final details. I’m just as dedicated to making your day a success as you are, I promise.

After a day of fun, hard work photographing your wedding (and crying during the vows), it’s time for the post-production work to begin. The first step is sorting through 1,000 to 2,000 photos and choosing the ones that are in focus and non-blinking. I think you’d be pretty disappointed if I delivered a gallery full of blurry photos with your eyes closed! After your gallery is culled I get to edit each photo one by one. That means manually editing every single photo so that the entire gallery is consistent no matter what the lighting conditions are.

I give everything I have into the editing process to make sure you’re going to be over-the-moon excited about the way your photos look!

Real wedding experience

Of course I take pride in having a beautiful portfolio for you to browse when you’re inquiring with me, but real wedding experience is what will make or break a fantastic photographer. Having extensive wedding experience means I can confidently problem solve, decide the best lighting scenarios, know when and where to be at all times, and deliver the best beautiful photos every single time. I've seen it all, and I'll be by your side helping you every step of the way.

The reality is, unfortunately a lot of couples decide to limit their photography budget and have a family friend or an inexperienced photographer take over the job. This is probably the number one regret I hear ALL the time when I'm chatting with married couples. My heart breaks as they explain to me how much they wish they could look back at their wedding, but either their photographer lost their photos, their family friend didn't capture any meaningful moments, or they're over/under exposed and unsalvageable. This is another reason I have contracts in place, so that you know exactly what to expect in terms of quality, timelines, and anything else that should be of concern to you and your partner.

At the end of the day, your wedding photos are the only tangible memories you will have from your day. Wedding photographers are in this field not because they want to be millionaires, but because we’re truly so passionate about what we do. I love my job SO much that I believe it shows in the photos I deliver.

When you invest in me, you’re investing in an experience that you’ll never forget.

If you’d like to reach out to me about photographing your wedding or elopement, I would love to chat with you! To get in touch with me, you can fill out my contact form and you can expect a response from me in your inbox within 48 hours.